Toronto driving alternatives

Any drivers here that are local to or drive through Toronto frequently? I’m thinking of trying a route that I’ve never done before, and wanted some feedback. First off… Disclaimer: Company doesn’t allow us to use the 407 ETR, so that’s immediately not an option. Now that that’s out of the way…. Recently I’ve been getting a lot of back and forth runs between Cornwall and Brantford, which I really don’t mind at all. The usual route I take is 401, 427, QEW, 403. Which to me isn’t bad… but I like to explore viable alternatives, both as legitimate detour and as a welcome change of scenery. So, I’m looking at Google Maps, and I’m thinking… what if I try 401, DVP, Gardiner, QEW, 403? Google Maps says theres only a 2 km difference in driving distance, so the big to worry about is time. Is it worth trying out the DVP and Gardiner? Or should I stick with the usual 401, 427 route?